The parrot’s eyes are one of their assets; it is considered as their extremely acute sense since their vision is known to have a detailed perceive motion that is better than what humans have. Their eyes are the most important part of their body because, without it, it is impossible for them to fly, search for food, and protect themselves from predators. Eye pinning is the body language that they show off through the use of their eyes. This may be bizarre behavior, but as soon as you understand the reason why your parrot eye pins, it would be a great help to know what they feel and how you would be able to interact with them.
Eye Pinning As a Body Language
For you to understand what the parrot feels, you should be able to read and understand what its body language is telling you. Eye pinning for parrots could mean different kinds of behavior such as happiness, anger, excitement, and curiosity. Owners who do not have an idea about eye pinning would think that they might something wrong with their bird, but eye pinning actually serves as an effective body language for you to know what they feel about certain stimuli.
You may need to spend quality time with your bird for you to have a better understanding of why they show this behavior. When your parrot eye pin while doing some other body language such as head-bobbing, hissing, fluffing its feathers. If you are already pro about understanding the body languages your parrot is showing, then you would be able to use it as a tool to communicate with them.
How Do Parrots Eye Pin?
Parrots have the ability to voluntarily control the muscles of their iris to change its diameter. This is a way for them to better see and focus their attention on a certain thing. If you observe that they narrow the diameter of their eyes, it means that they are concentrating to focus their attention on something interesting or a threat, and this is described as eye pinning. Eye pinning is more of an emotional response to a certain thing. The way how humans dilate and constrict its pupils is also the same way on how the parrot controls its iris; sometimes, it would depend on the amount of light around them.
Why Does Your Parrot Eyes Pin?
Eye pinning is a behavioral display wherein the parrot’s eyes contract and dilates, especially when they are curious about a certain thing or stimuli that are new to their eyes, especially to new toys or food. When parrots eye pin, it means that they are excited, and usually, this feeling is accompanied by biting. Since eye pinning is a natural response to different kinds of stimuli, that is an effective clue about your bird’s mood such as excitement, happiness, fear, anger, and curiosity. Parrot’s eye pinning is just like other body languages where your parrot expresses what it feels. As an owner, you should be able to familiarize yourself with each behavior your parrots show every time it does eye pinning.
What Does Parrot Eye Pinning Mean?
You can easily know what they feel when they eye pin based on the accompanying behavior that they show. When the parrot is just relaxed while it is eye pinning, it means that it is interesting or curious about something. This starring behavior is what they would usually show if someone they don’t know enters the room. You would know that your bird is excited if the eye pinning behavior is accompanied by happy vocalizations; this is the usual behavior that they show when they see you near their cage with a treat. However, when you see them eye pin with puffing feathers, it could mean aggression due to overstimulation, fear, and anger.
Behavioral Problems Associated with Eye Pinning
· Boredom and Neglect
These behavioral problems shown by your parrot are the manifestations of frustration or anger. When you notice that you a bird eye pins while just staying in the corner of their cage, there is a possibility that they are just controlling their temper. A way to help the bird cope with it is by staying on their cage for a while to give them the idea that you are willing to play with them. As they go towards you, you’ll notice that their eyes will return in its normal appearance. When boredom and neglect are not attended to immediately, it could lead to some serious behavioral problems such as non-stop screaming and feather plucking.
· Biting
The use of their beak is important for them to eat their food and for foraging. When they do eye pinning while moving their beak, there are high chances that they’ll bite. You should be able to train your bird not to bite. Biting is also due to the change of their temperament, where they are irritated. This behavioral problem is shown when they are molting or after the breeding and reproduction season.
· Screaming
Screaming is a daily routine for birds, also known as vocalizations. You would know that the way how they scream is already a behavioral problem if it is done during the usual hours where they scream, which is in the morning and evening. The way they scream is no longer like vocalizations, but it is more on shouting just to get attention. Usually, your parrot does eye pinning while screaming if they are just seeking your attention or if they want something else.
Facts About the Eyes of Parrots
- The parrots have a sharper vision than humans due to the way how their eyes are positioned and because of its size. Their eyes are situated on the sides of their heads so they can see a wider view.
- They have the ability to see ultraviolet light that humans can’t do. The way how they see perfectly when it comes to colors allows them to decide whom they can pair and mate with just by looking by its feathers. They also have the ability to know if a certain food is still good to eat, or it has already been rotten just by looking at it physically.
- The parrot’s eyes change in color and its overall appearance. Juvenile parrots have fully black eyes while matured parrots have a precise iris rings that can be seen on the edges of their pupil. This can be an effective way to somehow know the age bracket of a parrot.
- When the parrot’s iris becomes visible as they age, you can be able to detect easily if they eye pin to better understand what they feel at the moment.
- It is said that making eye contact with your bird will open the line of engagement and communication. If the parrot will male eye contact with you comfortably, it means that they know your intention, which is not to harm them.
Final Thoughts
It is important to be attentive to the body language your parrot show because this is their way of telling you what they feel. Eye pinning reflects the behavior that they are about to show. If they show aggressive behaviors while eye pinning, it is important to attend to it immediately so as to worsen the situation. On the other hand, if eye pinning is accompanied by a positive mood, you also need to acknowledge it further so that the bird will not feel neglected.
